This invention relates to devices used for administering anesthesia for penile surgery and more specifically to a circumferential compression device that facilitates intracavernosal anesthesia.
For various types of ambulatory penile surgery, including circumcision, penile biopsy, partial penectomy and cystoscopy, a penile regional anesthetic nerve block is administered. To administer the anesthetic nerve block, a conventional tourniquet is applied to the phallus before injecting the anesthetic into the corpus cavernosum. Although the regional anesthetic is preferred for ambulatory urologic surgery over spinal or inhalation anesthesia, various surgical complications are associated with conventional tourniquet techniques including, neuropraxia, vascular thrombosis, and compression injury to the corpus cavernosum. Such complications arise, in part, because it is difficult to achieve a uniform amount of compression with a conventional tourniquet.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an adjunct device for intracavernosal anesthesia that achieves a more uniformly applied amount of compression than conventional tourniquets.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a circumferential compression device that is safe and effective and achieves reproducible anesthetic for ambulatory penile surgery.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method and device for administering intracavernosal anesthesia that does not distort the penile anatomy and obviates potential risks and financial considerations associated with inhalation and spinal anesthesia.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel penile block that incorporates the post-operative analgesic benefits of preemptive analgesia.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method and device for intracavernosal anesthesia that does not produce cardiac arrhythmias, central nervous system disturbances or plaque formation at the injection site.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device and method for intracavernosal anesthesia that distributes a variable amount of desired tension in a more uniform manner than a standard tourniquet.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device and method for intracavernosal anesthesia that decreases the potential for neuropraxia, vascular thrombosis and compression injury to the corpus cavernosum.
A preferred embodiment of the device of the invention, which is adapted to be applied circumferentially about a phallus, having a perimeter, and to facilitate intracavernosal anesthesia, generally comprises: a strip having a length at least slightly greater than the perimeter of the phallus, and a first end and a second end; and a means for releasably fixing at least a portion of the strip proximate the first end to a second portion of the strip. Wherein the strip may further comprise one or more openings through the strip that is adapted to receive the first end through one or more of the openings. The strip may also have a width proximate the second end and a width proximate the first end that is smaller than the width proximate the second end. The strip preferably has an inner surface, wherein the strip may further comprise one or more cushioning means fixed to at least a portion of the inner surface, wherein one or more of the cushioning means may comprise foam padding. At least a portion of the strip preferably tapers somewhat proximate the first end.
The means for fixing may comprise one or more hooks and loops, and more specifically, may comprise, an adjustable, releasable hook and loop closure, comprising a hook means and a loop means, wherein the hook means is fixed to the second portion of an outer surface of the strip and the loop means is fixed to the first portion of the outer surface of the strip proximate the first end.
Another preferred embodiment of the device of the invention which is adapted to be applied circumferentially about a phallus, having a perimeter, to facilitate intracavernosal anesthesia, generally comprises: a strip having a length at least slightly greater than the perimeter of the phallus, comprising, a first end, a second end and an inner surface; one or more cushioning means fixed to at least a first portion of the inner surface; and one or more openings through the strip that is adapted to receive the first end through one or more of the openings; and one or more means for releasably fixing at least a first portion of the strip proximate the first end to a second portion of the strip; wherein the means for fixing comprises an adjustable, releasable hook and loop closure, comprising at least one hook means and at least one loop means, wherein the hook means is fixed to at least the second portion of an outer surface of the strip and the loop means is fixed to the first portion of the outer surface of the strip proximate the first end.
The preferred method of the invention for facilitating the administration of anesthesia to a corpus cavernosum of a phallus, having a perimeter, generally comprises the steps of: providing a strip having a length that is at least slightly greater than the perimeter of the phallus, comprising, a first end, a second end and an inner surface; one or more openings through the strip that is adapted to receive the first end through one or more of the openings; and one or more adjustable means for releasably fixing at least a first portion of the strip proximate the first end to a second portion of the strip: wrapping the strip about the phallus: inserting the first end of the strip through one or more of the openings: fixing at least a portion of the strip proximate the first end to the second portion of the strip using the means for fixing: and instilling the anesthesia using a needle into the corpus cavernosum. The strip may further comprise one or more cushioning means fixed to at least a portion of the inner surface; and wherein the strip is wrapped about the phallus so that the cushioning means is between the inner surface of the strip and the phallus.